Risk factors of pthalmia neonatorum in newborns at Ardabil city

Habib Ojaghi, Rahim Masoumi, Zoleikha Valizadeh

Abstract

Background: The term ophthalmia neonatorum (ON) connotes infection of the ocular surface within the first month of life which have many risk factors. The severity of this infection varies from mild to server and even corne al perforation, panophthalmitis and blindness. The objective of this study was to determine the risk factors of ON in newborns at Ardabil city.

Methods: This study is a descriptive cross - sectional study that was done on 40 newborns with ON at Ardabil hospitals. Data collected by visit of newborns and completed cheklists then by statistical methods in SPSS.19.

Results: The mean age in infant was 9±8.1 day and the mean age of mothers was 26.4±5.1; and the mean birth weight was 2597±658.6. 27 (67.5%) of infants were male and others were female. 23 (57.5%) of infant mothers had vaginal delivery and 8(20%) of infants have Prom. 24 (60%) of infants were in the first parite. Cojuctivitis was involved in 15 (37.5%) in right side, 5 (12.5%) in left side and 20 (20%) were bilateral. 25 (62.5%) of infants were term and 15 (37.5%) were preterm. 21(52.5%) of infants had history of UTI and genital infection in their mothers.

Conclusions: This study showed that ophthalmia neonatoroum is a multifactorial and multilevel problem and many factors have main role in this problem and doing future studies to recognize these risk factors is necessary.